Many devices have been used in the past for splitting logs. The most common is the standard wedge which is driven into the log by a sledge hammer or similar device and splits the log into two billets. Variations on the standard wedge have evolved to the point where log splitting machines constructed with power actuated rams, force logs against a splitting wedge or head and divide the log into two or more billets.
With the onset of the energy crisis, many people turned to utilizing wood, as either a supplement or primary fuel source, for heating their homes due to the increased cost for alternative heating fuels. The wood is burned in fireplaces or in a variety of wood burning stoves to generate heat energy. For ease of placing the wood in the stove or fireplace and for a constant burn, it is desirable that the wood be of uniform size. With the increased demand for firewood, and the need for uniformity of size, the need for log splitting machines capable of forming multiple billets of uniform size from a single log has become manifest.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,809 discloses a log splitter in which a log is fed along a path of travel for splitting into a plurality of pieces. The log splitter is provided with a splitting mechanism which includes a main splitter arranged with a cutting edge facing the forward end of the log having a straight-sided wedge construction, and a plurality of cutting knives which extend transversely to the main splitter with cutting edges facing the forward end of the log. The cutting knives are spaced apart from one another to define shearing compartments into which the log is fed as it is being split into pieces. U.S. Pat. No. 4,391,312 discloses a log splitting head which may be attached to the main frame of a log splitting machine. The log splitting head is comprised of a baseplate, first and second horizontal cutting plates opposed and spaced from one another and mounted to the baseplate. Each of the horizontal cutting plates includes a cutting edge positioned to receive a log for splitting. A pair of vertically disposed cutting plates with cutting edges positioned to receive a log are mounted in spaced relation between the spaced apart horizontal cutting plates. The baseplate is further constructed with means for securing the baseplate to the main frame of a log splitting machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,825 discloses a firewood cleaving apparatus comprised of a number of cleaving irons situated in four different consecutive planes. A block of wood is forced down against the cleaving irons with the aid of a ram and step wise split into twelve billets. The cleaving irons in the first two planes split the wood block into four pieces along radial lines. The cleaving iron in the third plane is annular and yields eight pieces, while the irons in the fourth plane are radial and cleave only the radially outer pieces that were separated from the radially inner pieces by the annular cleaving iron.
The log splitters in general use today have several disadvantages. Firstly, they are very cumbersome to operate and are incapable of achieving high production rates. Secondly, the prior art log splitters have a tendency to jam easily due to the type of cutting edges on the cutting wedges used by the devices.
It is an objective of the present invention to produce a log splitting apparatus which is easy to operate and capable of high production rates.
It is a further objective of the present invention to produce a log splitting apparatus which can accommodate logs of varying sizes and split the logs into billets of uniform size.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to produce a log splitting apparatus which will prevent the jamming of the log in the splitting apparatus during the log splitting process.